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Ritesh’s Journey To Supported Living Care & Independence

Ritesh’s supported living care story celebrates independence, confidence and achievement, showing how person-centred support, family partnership and meaningful routines can help people to thrive.

For Ritesh, moving into supported living care wasn’t about leaving something behind. It was about gently stepping into a life with more choice, confidence and opportunity.

Ritesh is a warm, thoughtful young man who thrives on routine and takes pride in doing things well. Everyday tasks like keeping his home tidy, washing up and looking after shared spaces are not chores – they are moments of achievement and independence.

He’s a passionate Arsenal fan, a lover of sport and someone whose faith plays a central role in their identity. Above all, he values feeling useful, respected and connected to the people around him, especially his family.

Like many adults with disabilities, he wanted more independence while still feeling safe, understood and supported. That balance sits at the heart of our supported living care approach – and it shaped every step of Ritesh’s journey to independence.

Strong foundations at home

Before moving to ivolve, Ritesh lived at home with his family. Home offered safety, familiarity and love, and his family members played a central role in supporting his daily routines and wellbeing.

As he grew older, conversations naturally turned to the future. There was a clear desire to be busy, to contribute to the community and to build skills for his adult life. He wanted to do more for himself and feel proud of what he achieved.

His family shared these hopes, while also feeling understandably cautious about change. After many years at home, the idea of moving into supported living care was a significant emotional step. Like many families, they wanted reassurance that Ritesh would be safe, listened to and supported to grow at his own pace.

A carefully planned transition into supported living care

Transition is often the biggest concern for families considering supported living care. At ivolve, this stage is never rushed.

From the outset, both Ritesh and his family were fully involved in planning their move. Time was taken to understand his routines, preferences, communication style and what helped him to feel calm and confident. Family insight was central, ensuring continuity between life at home and life in his new home.

Support plans were co-produced to reflect Ritesh’s whole life, not just his care needs. This included specialist health input where and a consistent, well-trained team. Knowing who was supporting him and what to expect helped to build trust.

Emotional safety was just as important. Ritesh wanted his home personalised with items that reflected his faith, familiar belongings and his favourite things – including Arsenal and his favourite Henry vacuum cleaner. These details helped his new home feel like his from day one.

Throughout the transition, support followed a “doing with” approach rather than “doing for”. Ritesh was encouraged to take part in everyday tasks, with support alongside him rather than taking over. As a result, his confidence grew steadily, supported by a strong sense of safety and trust. These are core fundamentals of our Strive model of support, which enables us to deliver person-centred, holistic care that helps people to lead fulfilling lives in every way.

Building independence through everyday life

Once Ritesh was settled, attention turned to building a meaningful life beyond the front door. With encouragement from his support team, he developed a structured weekly routine that reflected his interests, strengths and aspirations.

Today, he attends a day centre, takes part in a drama group, volunteers at a community farm, gets out and about to see his favourite team at matches and enjoys regular family time. These activities provide structure, social connection and a strong sense of belonging for Ritesh, helping him to feel active, valued and engaged in his community.

Each part of his week reinforces the purpose of supported living care – supporting people to live full lives shaped around what matters to them.

Volunteering and community contribution

A significant milestone was reached when Ritesh secured a voluntary role within the local community, following a carefully supported transition from a previous placement. Maintaining continuity helped preserve routine and confidence.

The role was shaped through collaboration. During regular keyworker sessions, Ritesh shared a clear desire to work and contribute. His enjoyment of organising and keeping spaces tidy became a natural starting point.

Our support team worked closely with Ritesh and his family members, external professionals and the organisation involved to develop a role that was meaningful and well matched. On volunteering days, tasks include sorting items, organising displays and maintaining a welcoming environment.

Through this role, Ritesh has developed strong timekeeping, organisational and workplace skills. Just as importantly, his confidence, communication and teamwork has grown significantly too. Volunteering has strengthened his sense of pride, purpose and belonging.

Confidence, pride and belonging

Volunteering has brought more than structure to Ritesh’s life – it has strengthened his identity and self-belief. He knows he is trusted, valued and making a meaningful contribution in the community.

At home, he feels safe and listened to, with positive and trusting relationships with his support team. Strong family connections continue to play an important role in Ritesh’s life too. Whether planning the week ahead, taking pride in his home or talking enthusiastically about his interests, Ritesh’s growing confidence is clear.

One colleague reflected, “We’re not just supporting Ritesh to live somewhere. We’re supporting him to build a life.”

Looking ahead – continuing to grow with supported living care

Ritesh’s journey continues, with clear goals and ambitions for the future. With support from ivolve, family members and professionals, his independent living skills continue to develop at a pace that feels right for him.

His next steps include building confidence with simple meal preparation, expanding involvement in household tasks and exploring new community opportunities. He also has a strong desire to continue engaging with personal interests, social connections and meaningful experiences.

Alpana, Ritesh’s mum couldn’t be prouder of the things he’s achieved and how well he has adjusted to living independently. She said, “I am so grateful for ivolve, especially the Support Workers who have been amazing with Ritesh – genuinely caring, patient, and always encouraging him to be his best.” She continued, “their kindness and belief in Ritesh has made such a difference to his confidence and independence.”

Looking ahead, Ritesh has personal goals too – including travelling, enjoying more days out and continuing to follow Arsenal, with hopes of attending more matches in the future. These aspirations are treated with the same care and planning as any other goal, ensuring he can enjoy them safely and confidently.

Could supported living be the next step for someone you support?

Supported living care at ivolve is about creating space for people to grow, dream and achieve – not just now, but for the long term. Ritesh’s story shows what is possible when support is rooted in partnership, respect and belief in someone’s potential.

When thousands of colleagues across ivolve took part in this year’s annual colleague survey, they weren’t just sharing feedback about their workplace. They were helping support something much bigger.

Thanks to record participation in our annual colleague survey fundraising initiative, we’ve proudly donated funds to both Alzheimer’s Society and Cancer Research UK, turning colleague feedback into meaningful support for two charities that touch the lives of millions of people across the UK.

The donations were formally presented during a special cheque presentation event attended by representatives from both charities, celebrating the collective impact that can be achieved when people come together with a shared purpose.

At ivolve, listening to colleagues isn’t simply something we do once a year. It’s part of how we shape our culture, improve experiences and create a workplace where people feel valued, heard and empowered to make a difference.

This year, however, the survey delivered something even more powerful. For every completed survey response, we pledged to donate £1 to charity, giving colleagues not only the opportunity to share their views but also a direct say in where the money would go.

The result was our highest ever level of survey engagement, with thousands of colleagues from across our nursing, residential care and supported living homes in England and Wales taking part.

Together, those individual responses created a collective contribution that will now help support people affected by dementia and fund life-saving cancer research.

How Colleague Survey Fundraising Made a Difference

At ivolve, we believe that every voice matters. Our colleague survey plays a vital role in helping us shape the future of our organisation.

The insights colleagues share influence decisions, improvements and priorities across the business, helping us continue building an environment where people can do their best work while delivering meaningful care to the people we support. The colleague survey fundraising initiative was designed to reinforce that belief.

By linking survey participation directly to charitable giving, colleagues could see first-hand how sharing their views could make a difference beyond their own workplace.

The response exceeded expectations. Thousands of colleagues took the time to provide feedback, demonstrating not only their commitment to improving ivolve but also their desire to support causes that matter deeply to them.

When it came to selecting the charity, colleagues were invited to vote for the cause they wanted the donation to support. The result was incredibly close, so rather than selecting a single winner, we chose to split the funds between the two charities that received the highest number of votes: Alzheimer’s Society and Cancer Research UK.

The decision ensured that both charities would benefit from the generosity and engagement of colleagues across the organisation. It’s a simple idea, but one that reflects something important about our culture.

We know that meaningful change often starts with small actions. Completing a survey may seem like a small act on its own, but when thousands of people come together, those actions can create a powerful impact.

That principle sits at the heart of our employee value proposition and the culture we’ve worked hard to build. It’s also one of the reasons ivolve has been recognised as one of the UK’s Best Places to Work by The Sunday Times for three consecutive years. We know that when colleagues feel listened to, valued and involved in shaping the future, everyone benefits.

"We simply can't reach those who need us without support from incredible fundraisers like ivolve Care & Support."

Jodie Jarecki,
Regional Fundraiser – Alzheimer’s Society

Supporting Causes Close to Colleagues’ Hearts

The charities selected by colleagues represent causes that affect countless families, communities and colleagues across the UK.

Alzheimer’s Society works tirelessly to support people living with dementia, fund groundbreaking research and campaign for change.

Speaking following the cheque presentation, Jodie Jarecki, Regional Fundraiser for the East Midlands at Alzheimer’s Society, highlighted the difference the donation will make.

“We are so grateful that ivolve Care & Support chose to support Alzheimer’s Society. We provide vital support to people living with dementia, funds groundbreaking research and campaigns to make dementia the priority it should be. It will take a society to beat dementia.”

She continued, “There are around a million people living with dementia in the UK including 14,006 in Derbyshire. We all have a role to play in ending the devastation dementia causes. We simply can’t reach everyone who needs us without the continued support of our incredible fundraisers like colleagues at ivolve Care & Support.”

"Thank you so much for choosing to support Cancer Research UK. Every penny raised goes towards vital life-saving research."

Joyce Clifford,
Alfreton Representative – Cancer Research UK

The donation will help Alzheimer’s Society continue providing vital support services while funding research aimed at improving lives and finding solutions for future generations.

Cancer Research UK, meanwhile, remains the world’s leading cancer charity dedicated to saving and improving lives through research, influence and information.

Representing the charity at the presentation event was Joyce Clifford, Chairman of the Alfreton and District Committee for Cancer Research UK.

Reflecting on the occasion, she said: “A lovely morning to celebrate, and so well organised. Thank you so much for choosing to support Cancer Research UK. Every penny raised goes towards vital life-saving research.”

This is why initiatives like this matter. Behind every donation is the potential for hope. Hope for better treatments. Hope for greater understanding. Hope for brighter futures for individuals and families facing some of life’s toughest challenges. And we’re proud to be part of that in some small way.

A Workplace Where Feedback Matters

The success of our colleague survey charity donation initiative is a reflection of the culture we continue to build.

Across our organisation, we support more than 1,150 adults with learning disabilities, autism, mental health needs and complex support needs through more than 185 homes and support services across England and Wales.

Delivering high-quality support starts with having engaged, motivated and valued colleagues. That’s why listening matters.

Every year, our colleague survey helps us better understand what’s working, where we can improve and how we can continue making ivolve a great place to work. The feedback we receive directly informs actions, priorities and improvements across the organisation.

Divisional Head of People for England, Keeley Denman, believes this year’s initiative demonstrates the power of collective action. “The response from our colleagues demonstrates their shared commitment to making a difference and shows that small individual actions – such as completing a survey – can come together to create a significant collective impact.

“The success of our colleague survey fundraising initiative reflects the culture we continue to build, while also reinforcing our commitment to giving back. Our annual survey remains a key part of how we gather insight and shape our future and we have been delighted it has further benefitted not one, but two charities close to the hearts of our colleagues.”

That commitment to listening has helped shape a culture where colleagues feel able to speak up, share ideas and influence positive change. We’ve recently been recognised as one of The Sunday Times Best Places to Work for the third consecutive year, reflecting the experiences and feedback of colleagues across the organisation. While awards are never the goal, they provide a valuable reminder that listening to colleagues and acting on what they tell us makes a real difference.

Whether it’s supporting people to achieve personal goals, volunteering within local communities, raising money for important causes or sharing ideas that help improve our organisation, our colleagues consistently demonstrate the values that make ivolve special.

"The success of our colleague survey reflects the culture we continue to build, while also reinforcing our commitment to giving back"

Keeley Denman
Divisional Head of People for England at ivolve

Small Actions, Lasting Impact

The cheque presentation marked the end of one fundraising initiative, but it also highlighted something much bigger.

When people feel heard, they engage. When they engage, they contribute. And when thousands of people contribute together, remarkable things can happen.

What began as colleague survey fundraising became an opportunity to support two incredible charities, fund important work and demonstrate the positive impact that colleague voices can have both within and beyond the workplace.

At ivolve, we’re incredibly proud of every colleague who took the time to complete the survey, cast their vote and help make these donations possible. Their feedback will continue helping us shape the future of ivolve.

Their participation has already helped make a difference to two charities doing extraordinary work. As we begin reviewing this year’s feedback, we’ll continue using those insights to strengthen our culture, improve colleague experience and ensure ivolve remains a place where people can thrive.

Because when colleagues feel heard, supported and empowered, positive things happen – for our teams, for the people we support and, as this initiative has shown, for the wider communities around us too.

Looking for a workplace where your voice matters?

At ivolve, colleague feedback helps shape decisions, drive improvements and create positive change. Explore our latest opportunities and discover how you can build a meaningful career with us.